A new paradigm for repair of posterior post-infarction ventricular
septal defect complicated by cardiogenic shock: peripheral ECMO as a
bridge to definitive operative repair
Abstract
Acute post-infarction posterior ventricular septal defect (VSD) is
associated with high mortality. Furthermore, patients with cardiogenic
shock have been reported to have worse outcomes (1). There are
conflicting reports about the optimum timing and method of surgical
repair (2). Early surgical intervention has been reported to have high
mortality, whereas the risk of dying in the waiting period with the
medical management is also exponentially high (1). We present a case of
post-infarction posterior VSD complicated by cardiogenic shock. The
patient was successfully supported with peripheral veno-arterial
extracorporeal membrane oxygenator as a bridge to a trans-right atrial
repair.